Freezing, hardening, and dispensing cabinet and containers therefor



W 1950 L. A. M. PHELAN 2,517,234

FREEZING, HARDENING AND DISPENSING CABINET AND CONTAINERS THEREFOR Original Filed' July 27, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

L 01/45 A. MPh fl A/i/ Aug. 1, 1950 A. M. PHELAN FREEZING, HARDENING AND DISPENSING CABINET AND CONTAINERS THEREFOR Original Filed July 27, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 RM m MM M w w L. w a w A TTOR/VE Y Patented Aug. 1, 1950 FREEZING, HARDENING, AND DISPENSING CABINET AND CONTAINERS THEREFOR Louis A. M. Phelan, Beloit, Wis.

Original. application July 27, 1940, Serial No. 347,830., Divided and this application September 25, 1944, Serial No. 555,702

. 3 Claims.

This application is a divisional of my copending application, Serial No. 347,830, filed July 27, 1940, now Patent No. 2,361,549, issued October 31, 1944.

The present invention relates to a novel hardening and dispensing cabinet in combination with a counter freezer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet with three compartments, number one compartment occupying the full depth of the interior Of the cabinet and extending from one end of the cabinet preferably pastthe longitudinal center thereof, numbers two and three compartments being positioned one above the other and occupying the remainder of the length of.

the interior of the cabinet. Number two compartment is adapted to contain a compressor unit and number three compartment is adapted receive containers.

A novel feature of my invention. is a permanent insulated covering adapted to lie over a portion of the number one and three compartments providing a support for a counter freezer and without reducing the useful area of these compartments.

A further object of my invention is to provide evaporator coils in the first compartment and optionall evaporator coils in the third compartment, whereby containers containing ice cream and the like may be placed in the first compartment and served therefrom and. whereby the third compartment may be similarly used or used for other purposes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide operating connections between the counter freezer evaporator and the first compartment evaporator, with means whereby these evaporators may be served by the single compressor unit, and whereby the temperature in the third compartment may be adapted for frozen product or for storing fresh mixes, either by heat exchange between the first "and third compartments or by the use of a separate evaporator.

Generally stated, objects of the present invention are to provide a single unit adapted for freezing, storing, hardening and serving ice cream and the like in the most. economical manner.

To these and other useful ends, my invention consists of parts, combinationsof parts or their equivalents and mode of operation as hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of 'the preferred form of my invention. r

Fig. 2 is a top view of the device as illustrated in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the device taken on line .3-3 of Figure 4 omitting the containers in compartment three.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the cabinet taken largely on line 44 of Figure 3, a front view of the counter freezer being shown.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 ofFigure 4. i i

Fig. 6 illustrates one of the evaporator slabs partially sectioned.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line'l-l of-Figure 6; 1 i it Fig. 8 is an enlarged fractional portion of the slab shown in Figurefi and sectioned on line 4-4 of Figure 6. i

I have evolved the present'device having in mind the most convenient apparatus for use in a confectionery store wherein icecream and the like is primarily frozen bymeans of the counter freezer which is mounted onthe top of the cabinet as will hereinafter appear.

I have illustrated the compartments: in the cabinet shown and identified them by numerals I, 2 and 3, each being especially suited for the purpose specified. It will be understood that compartments I and 3 are suitable for the reception and storage of any desired shape of containers.

Cabinets of the character are generally positioned in a delicatessen store frequently taking the place of a counter. Therefore the space occupied is very important and I have therefore especially designed my device for this purpose.

In the drawings I have identified the counter freezer in its entirety by reference character D and the cabinet in its entirety by reference character E. Member D has an evaporator and mixing chamber which is preferably similar to my Patent #2,243,317, May 24, 1941. The shape of the containers shown in compartment I is pref.-

erable and they are designated in their entireties by reference character A and the containers shown in compartment 3 are designated by reference character B. The compressor unit is in its entirety designated by reference characterC.

Member E is preferably shaped as illustrated, having side members l3l3 and end members I l-l4. Compartment I is adapted to receive containers of. any desirable shape preferably however as shown in the figures, the sides, end and bottom of this compartment being insulated as shown. Compartment 2 need not be insulated on its sides, end and bottom and is shaped and positioned preferably as shown in the figures. Compartment 3 is positioned over compartment 2 and insulated therefrom as shown at I5. Compartment I is insulated from compartments 2 and 3 preferably as at I6. Under some circumstances the temperature of compartment 3 may be controlled by leaving out the partition between compartments I and 3 or compartments i and 3 may be separated only by a metal partition. Thus compartment 3 would be cooled by the evaporators in compartment I; however evaporator coils may be suitably placed in compartment 3.

I provide a transverse insulated covering it which overhangs partition I6 and acts as a sup port for member D. The remainder of the tops of compartments i and 3 are covered byinsula'ted lids I9I9 and 2020.

Compartment 2 is provided with an entrance door or lid preferably as at 25. I provide suitable ventilator grilles (not shown) for compartment 2. I mount in this compartment -'compressor unit C "having a'condenser 26 and inlet and out-- let pipes 2i and 28 which are operatively connected to the evaporator coils in compartment I and to the evaporator chamber in member D, partly'shown by dotted lines.

I will now describe my preferred form of evaporators 'for'c'ham'ber I comprising evaporator slabs designated in their entireties by reference characters F andG each having therein evaporator coils 26 which are operatively connected 'to compress'o'r pipes 21 and 28.

Slabs F are adapted to form the side walls of chamber I, comprising a pan '35 having therein "evaporator coils 29 which are preferably positioned as shown in Figure 6. Thesecoils '29 are preferably bonded to the bottom of the pan 35 after which the pans "are filled by a suitable molten insulating materia1 36'; thus the evaporator "tubes are in heat exchange with'the side walls of compartment I. Slab "G diiiers somewhat from slab F in that itis provided with a metal lid 33 so memberG issu'itable to be positioned inthe center of compartment t as shown in Figure 5. Thus if "the containers A are arranged in -two rows in compartment 'i, two sides are positioned close to the evaporator slabsfthus to provide'a uniform heat transfer for the contents of the containers A. During the assembling of my cabinet, slabs Fare positioned as shown in Figure so as to form'theinner side walls of compartment 5. Then metal partitions 39 39 and bottom plate 4!} are secured together and 'connectedto slab members35s'o as'to complete compartment I. I preferably position a, number of spaced wood pieces M under partition 49 as a support for this "member.

Compartment 3 is formed from sheet metal into a rectangular chamber and positioned as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The upper edges of "members F, and 42 termina e on 'thesame horizontal plane and act 'as a'supp'o-rt for transverse wood blocks t3 and member I 8, after which the space around and under chambers I and 3 are "filled with suitably insulated material I provide special insulating material it which acts as a covering for insulating material d6. This material extends slightly above the top -surfaces of members 43 and while it'is still hotI press a top sheet I of preferably stainless stell into position, having openings iorcornpartmcnts I and 3 and a top cover for partition Thus when slab "G is in position, the three slabs may -be operatively connected to compressor unit partition it! for the purpose.

Pipes 2! and 28 are also operatively connected to the evaporator of unit D by means of other pipes t9 and 55 (shown by dotted lines) whereby the slabs F and G and the evaporator chamber of member D may be served by compressor unit C. Controlling mechanisms (not shown) are furnished whereby these members may be served by the compressor unit automatically or under manual control.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided two compartments for containers and storage; that the control of the temperature in the container compartments may be automatic or manual; that the compressor may supply refrigerant to the counter freezer evaporator, as well as to compartment I evaporator; that the store clerk may at liberty, use compartment 3 for frozen and hardened product from which to serve; that the freezing, hardening and dispensing operations are conveniently handled and economical and that the cabinet will occupy minimum floor space.

Having thus shown and described my invention I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising in combination, a counter freezer, a horizontally elongated hardening and dispensing cabinet, a compartment rectangular in horizontal and longitudinal cross section occupying a space in the cabinet extending from one end past the longitudinal center of the cabinet and being adapted for the reception oi containers, a second compartment at the bottom of the other end of said cabinet and being separated from the first compartment by means of an insulated partition, a compressor unit in said second compartment, evaporator coils operatively connected to said compressor unit and positioned in heat exchange contact with said first compartment, a third compartment positioned above said second compartment and having substantially the same horizontal length and. width as the second compartment and being surrounded horizontally by insulated walls and having an insulated bottom, a transverse permanent insulated covering on the top of said cabinet and extending a short distance longitudinally of said cabinet over said first and third compartments, said counter freezer being mounted on said transverse covering and having an operating connection with said compressor unit, insulated removable lids forming coverings for the remainder of the tops of said first and third compartments, the remainder of said first compartment being insulated from the exterior.

2. A device of the character described comprising in combination, a counter freezer, a generally horizontally elongated hardenin and dispensing cabinet, a compartment occupying a space in the cabinet'extending from one end past the longitudinal center of the cabinet'and being adapted for the reception of containers, a second compartment at the bottom of the other end of said cabinet and being separated from the first compartment by means of an'insulated partition, a compressor unit in said second compartment, evaporator coils operatively connected with said compressor unit and positioned in heat exchange contact with said first compartment, a third compartment positioned above said second compartment and having substantially the same horizontal length and width as the secondcompartment and being separated from said first compartment by a partition and from the second compartment by an insulated partition, a transverse permanent insulated covering on the top of said cabinet and extending a short distance longitudinally over said first and third compartments, said counter freezer being mounted on said transverse covering and having an operating connection with said compressor unit, removable insulated lids forming coverings for the remainder of the tops of said first and third compartments, the remainder of said first and third compartments bein insulated from the exterior.

3. A device of the character described comprising in combination, a counter freezer, a generally horizontally elongated hardening and dispensing cabinet, a compartment generally rectangular in horizontal and longitudinal cross section occupying a space in the cabinet and extending from one end to near the longitudinal center of the cabinet and being adapted for the reception of frozen product containers, a second compartment between the inner end of the first compartment and the other end of the cabinet and being separated from the first compartment by an insulated partition, a compressor unit in said second compartment, evaporator coils in heat exchange contact with said first compartment and having an operating connection with said compressor unit, a third compartment positioned over said second compartment and having substantially the same horizontal length and width as the second compartment and being separated from the second compartment by an insulated partition, a permanent transverse insulated covering positioned to cover a portion of the adjacent ends of said first and third compartments, said counter freezer being positioned on said transverse covering and having an operating connection with said compressor unit, removable insulated lids adapted to cover the remainder of said first and third compartments, the remainder of said first and third compartments being insulated from the exterior.

L. A. M. PHELAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,765,747 Taylor June 24, 1930 1,861,957 Deremer June 7, 1932 2,083,396 Phillip June 8, 1937 2,295,113 Jordan et a1. Sept. 8, 1942 2,302,051 Phillip Nov. 1'7, 1942 2.361.649 Phelan Oct. 31, 1944 

